Disclaimer: The Prince of Tennis does not belong to me.

Chapter Three: Injured

Sakuno took a long and much-needed drink after the tough but satisfying practice that she had just finished with the girls' tennis club. Compared to the boys' tennis club, the girls' club was much smaller but they were still very good and she knew that she would have to practice hard to keep up. There was no pressure because the girls' tennis club was much more concerned with the exercise and enjoying tennis rather than actual results in matches. They left the competition to the boys. However, although they were not as obsessed about it as the boys, they were part of Rikkai Dai and compared to a lot of schools, they were excellent and every time they went out to compete, whether it's a formal match or an informal one, more likely than not, they still came back with good news and awards. Sakuno was glad that there was no competitive pressure on her because by nature, she was a peace-loving girl and anyway, she was so klutzy that all she could do at the moment was keep up with the practice although she missed more balls than actually hitting them.

Reika came up to her, startling her out of her thoughts. She turned to her buchou quickly and bowed her polite little bow, "Go-gomen nasai, Reika-buchou! I didn't notice you coming!" Reika laughed, not the least perturbed about it, "Don't worry, Ryuzaki, We are not as formal as a lot of the other sports' clubs. You don't have to be so nervous. I just wanted to say that I really like your attitude during practice. Your style is fair but you really need to work on your eye-hand coordination, as well as your footwork because you seem to trip over them quite often. Still you don't seem to be afraid of hard work, so I wouldn't worry too much. Good practice though, kiddie!" Sakuno blushed and said, "Thank you, buchou!" Reika quirked a smile at this shy little girl, patted her head because she was so small and walked on, saying, "Ja na, Ryuzaki!" Sakuno answered, waving childishly at Reika's retreating back, "Hai-hai!"

Just then, Miyu came running up to her. "Sakuno, was that buchou? What did she say?" Sakuno smiled, "Ah, Miyu-chan, I'm really happy! Reika-buchou said that I need to practice my coordination and footwork." Miyu raised her eyebrows, "I'm sure that's not all that she said, or you wouldn't be so pleased." Sakuno nodded, "She also said that I have a good attitude during practice." Miyu laughed, pleased for her friend, "Buchou is good, isn't she? She always knows just the right thing to say and they are always true too." Miyu took a drink from her bottle and looked at her watch. She said, "Gomen, Sakuno, I have to go now, I promised Mum that I will help her buy some stuff after practice. Are you going?" Sakuno looked at the sky, which was still bright and shook her head, "I think I will stay and practice hitting balls against the wall for a while. I want to practice a bit more. You go along, I'll see you tomorrow!" Miyu nodded, "Okay, see you! By the way, if you want a good wall to practice against, go to where we had lunch the other day, that's a good place to practice." With that, she hurried off.

Sakuno picked up her racket, some balls, her towel and water bottle. She started to make her way to the spot Miyu mentioned. It was only a short distance away but since this was Sakuno, it could only be expected that she lost her way very quickly and found herself to be in a part of the school grounds where she had not been before. Come to think of it, it really did not matter, because she had only been in the school for a few days and even if she had been to this place, she would not know how to make her way back to the girls' tennis grounds where she came from. Still, Sakuno was really very good-natured and she reckoned that she would just find a random wall that did not have any windows on it and practice there. She did not realize if she could not find her way back to the girls' tennis grounds now, then she probably would not be able to make her way to the girls' changing rooms which were just next to the tennis grounds. However since it did not cross her mind, she was not worried about it at all. She had happily found a suitable wall in a clearing surrounded by bushes. Sakuno started to practice.

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Niou Masaharu was strolling along with Marui Bunta and Kurahara Jackal to the vending machines when they heard a peculiar sound. It sounded like a tennis ball being hit against a wall to their practiced ears, after all they have listening to the same kind of sound almost every day for at least six years: three years in junior high and two full years with one year to go in senior high at Rikkai Dai. However, this sound seemed a bit different, it went on for about three balls against the wall then would stop for while and there would be the soft sounds of pattering feet. The trio came to the conclusion that the person must have missed the ball and was picking it up. They were right for the sound of the ball hitting against the wall started again. It went on for about five balls this time, the trio was thinking when the ball-sound stopped and the pattering-feet-sound started again. Niou started chuckling to himself, thinking this to be the most amusing thing he had countered this week. He started to stroll toward the sound very quietly. Bunta and Jackal looked to one another and shrugged, and then they followed him. Who knew what would happen to the person who was unfortunate enough to catch the Trickster's attention when he had been bored.

They soon came to the clearing where Sakuno was painstakingly practicing her forehand and backhand. It was true that she played rather badly, not because her form was bad, but because she was too slow. Her concentration was intense though and she did not notice the rustle of the bushes behind her as Niou, then Bunta and Jackal appeared.

Bunta recognized Sakuno at once. How could he not, when he had so happily accepted her cakes that very afternoon, almost crying with joy. As a result, he had had a very silly grin on since lunch time up till the practice sessions from hell began as he thought of them. He wanted to call out to Sakuno but unfortunately Niou beat him to it, his observant eyes noticing the girl's intense concentration which he thought would be funny to break, being the sadistic person he was. He screamed suddenly, "Ahhh! Cockroaches! So many cockroaches!" It certainly broke Sakuno's concentration but not quite the way he had envisioned. He had been imaging along the lines of the girl jumping up and down, screaming hysterically, while he laughed his bottom off.

Sakuno did jump at his scream but extremely unfortunately for her, there was a tennis ball just rolling by her feet and she stepped on it when she jumped. As you could imagine, she tripped on the rolling ball, there was a nasty sound around her ankle and to top it all, her other foot slipped on the ground and she fell flat on her face.

The Japanese schooling system is six years in primary school, three years in junior high and three in senior high. In the story, every one is in senior high, as I have mentioned several times. By the way, I would really like feed-back if it is not too much trouble, so after reading, please review! Cheers!